Diamonds are a .... kitty's best friend?

I dont have jewelry really. I'm not big into wearing it. I have four pieces that I wear on special occasions that Steve bought for me. My diamond engagment ring, my diamond tennis bracelet, my diamond earrings (noticing a trend here?) and my diamond pendant necklace. All very elegant and understated. I took it off yesterday to clean it before I went out, they were looking pretty dull. I cleaned, rinsed and set them aside on the bed to dry. When I came out of the bathroom I saw Pita on the bed, chewing on something. He was chewing on my engagement ring! The dumb shit was going to break a tooth. I picked up the jewelry and he followed me, trying to get at the necklace and bracelet. I had to put the jewelry up high where he couldnt reach it. The day before that, I'd taken off my necklace and left it on the nightstand and he was playing with it til he knocked the necklace off the nightstand and couldnt get to it. Spooky's done something like that before, too. I was dozing on the couch and I woke up to her chewing on the ring on my finger. That was quite confusing, and I mean she wasnt nibbling daintily or anything she was chewing. Weirdos.

Let's see. Christmas Eve was amazing. The best yet. Cris and Hank and Jennifer came over early, and we exchanged gifts before we went out to eat. We had reservations at the Chart House, which is a really swanky restaurant in Alexandria, right on the waterfront. Since our reservations were so early (4:15) nobody was fighting for the window seats and we got one easily. 4:15 was the perfect time to come, we watched the sunset and got to see all of the lights in the dark, we werent elbow to elbow with everyone, the food came out fast and the waitress had more time to spend on us. The food was delicious too. I thought about getting the Alaskan King Crab leg, I really wanted too as a matter of fact but I am quite the messy crab eater and I didtn want to wind up with crab juice all over my shirt, hehe. Oh and I had caviar. Let me just say, "yuck." You might as well dye some grits black, add tuna juice and oodles of salt and there you have it, caviar. After dinner we drove through some neighborhoods and saw Christmas lights. It was beautiful.

Christmas day was another story. Amy (God I'm beginning to hate that name) made plans with Tita, Cris, and Vena (a cousin) to go to Bob and Dora's house. Quick family tree recap. Cris is Steve's mom, and Tita Dory and Oring are her sisters. Bob is Tita's son, and Dora is her daughter in law. Vena is Oring's daughter that lives in New Jersey. At the last minute, Amy went to Wisconsin instead. Her father in law is going to pass of lung cancer. Vena canceled, since Amy wasnt going to be there. Nice to know who she's really coming to visit. Meow. So me, Cris, Hank and Steve got stuck going to Bob and Dora's house. They live an hour away, in BFE so Steve starts hemming and hawing. When I told him that Cris told me we were having Christmas at Bob and Dora's he's like, "why didnt you tell her no?" WTF. But, Steve commutes everyday and is working his second job again. I told him he didnt have to go to Bob and Dora's if he didnt want too, and I didnt have to say it twice. So now, its me, Cris, and Hank on Christmas day, driving down I-95 to Bob and Dora's. Traffic wasnt half the nightmare I expected it to be, I guess that was a bonus.

Bob and Dora are nice people, I shouldnt be so petty about having to go over there. Its just, not where I wanted to be Christmas day. Whatever. They're family, I sucked it up.

After awhile it came time to open gifts. Now, I am not a gifty person. I like opening presents but I am appeased with anything that shows someone was paying attention. I dont expect $150 Chanel scarves (nor do I want) but anything that shows they tried, that they put some thought and effort into the gift. My mom and aunt Judy shop thrift stores and dollar stores for stuff for me and always manage to find something I enjoyed. This year I was pretty sick from Thanksgiving on, between the cold and the back pain but I took my ass out and went and looked for gifts for them. Truthfully I didnt spend that much on Tita and Dora, probably around $12 each but they got nice, useful stuff. I gave Tita a pretty glass bowl that she can put fruit or a candle, anything to make a centerpiece from it, and two small casserole dishes so she doesnt have to make a big meal for her and Al, she can make a smaller portion. Bob and Dora got the same glass bowl in a different color, and two clear glass vases that were very nice. I didnt spend a lot of money on either of them, but those were things they liked and could use. Do you know what I got from them? Bob and Dora gave me a box of chocolate, and Tita gave me some shitty powder she got free at her work, and an opened bottle of perfume. Oh, I got a purse too but its something Cris picked out for me and made Tita give me so that doesnt count.

Christmas is a celebration of Jesus Christ's birth. Its not about the gifts but about appreciation, about setting time aside for your family that otherwise you might be too busy to do. Gifts should be a reflection of the appreciation. Not the biggest, the most expensive, the best brand name but something simple that shows you care and are thinking of them. Shit even Jennifer gave me a better gift than Bob and Dora and Tita and she's only 16. She gave me too pretty blankets to match my couches. Cris gave me a wallet type thing, to replace the one that was getting ratty, she gave me a blue necklace and earrings, because she knows my favorite color is blue, and a glass bowl to build a set I'm buying. Nothing expensive or pricey but things to show she was paying attention.

I shouldnt complain, my life is blessed so far beyond some shitty christmas gifts. This is totally petty of me and I'll never speak of it again, but I needed to get this off my chest.